If you have irregular stairs, you may need to measure each step individually.
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What you'll need:
TOOLS
Tape measure
Calculator
SUPPLIES
Pencil
Paper
If you’ve got a multi-level house with a carpeting project on the horizon, you’re going to need to learn how to measure stairs for carpet. Luckily, the process is relatively straightforward and revolves around total square footage regardless of the type of carpet you choose. All you need is a tape measure and a calculator. Though some staircases may differ—with landings and bullnose stairs—this method will teach you how to handle whatever might pop up.
Prepping to Measure Stairs for Carpet
Measuring stairs for carpet requires some specific calculations. You’ll need to know the individual parts of your staircase, including the tread (the horizontal part of the step) and the riser (the vertical section that holds up the tread). Pay close attention to the width, which goes from the left edge of the step to the right edge, and the depth, which goes from the front edge of the tread to the back edge. Don’t forget the landing at the top of the stairs and any others if you have them.
Draw a Floor Plan of Your Stairs
A floor plan will help you understand the layout of your staircase and organize the measurements you gather. Use a pencil to draw out a floorplan to the best of your ability, keeping scale in mind. Add doorways, alcoves, and landings.
Measure Your Staircase’s Main Landing
Photo: hdere / iStock / Getty Images
There are two different types of landings in a staircase. The main landing is the section at the top of your steps, right before your stairs start. Mid-landings are wider platforms within your staircase, typically to help the staircase change direction.
Your carpet will begin on the main landing, then move down your steps. Measure the width and length of the main landing in inches. Multiple the width and length measurements to get the total number of square inches, then divide that total by 12 to get the square footage. Note these measurements on your floor plan.
Measure the First Riser
The riser is the vertical section between steps. Measure the width and length of the riser directly below your main landing. Multiply the width and length measurements to get the total number of square inches, then divide by 12 to get the total number of square feet. Write these figures on your floor plan.
If your main landing has a lip that sticks out beyond the riser, bend your measuring tape to account for the extra space.
Calculate the Square Footage of the Main Landing Area
Add together the square footage of your main landing and the square footage of the first riser to calculate the landing area’s total square footage. Write this figure down on your floor plan.
Repeat This Process With Other Landings
Your staircase may have one or more mid-landings. Before you start measuring the rest of your stairs, gather the square footage of the other landing areas. To do this, repeat the same process you used to measure the main landing area. Note these figures down on your floor plan.
Measure the Width of a Tread
If your steps are irregular sizes, you may want to measure each step individually. If not, you can find the square footage of a single step and multiply by the number of steps. To get the square footage, start on the first step below your landing. Measure the width of the tread (the part of the stair you step on).
Add 2 inches to your measurement before writing it on your floor plan. During carpet installation, your contractor will fold about an inch of carpet over either end of the stairs to hide the edges. The added inches help account for the extra needed.
Measure the Tread and Riser of a Single Step
Next you’ll need to measure the depth of the tread and the height of the riser. You can do this by placing your measuring tape against the back edge of the tread, folding it over the step and down to the bottom edge of the riser. Gather the total measurement in inches. Add this measurement to your floor plan.
If you need to, round your measurement up to give yourself a little leeway. It’s better to have too much carpet than too little.
Find the Total Square Footage of a Single Step
Photo: Zephyr18 / iStock / Getty Images
To find the total square footage of a stair, multiply the two measurements you just recorded:
The width of your tread (inches)
The depth of your tread and height of the riser (inches)
This will give you the total number of square inches per stair (assuming your stairs are all the same size). Since carpet for stairs is often sold in square feet, divide this number by 12 to get the total square footage. Record it on your floor plan.
Find the Total Square Footage of All the Stairs
Take the square footage of a single stair (the figure you just recorded) and multiply it by the total number of stairs in your staircase, excluding landings. If your stairs are different sizes, you’ll need to measure each individually, calculate the individual square footages, and then add the figures together to get the total.
Make note of whether or not your staircase has a bullnose stair (a bottom stair that’s wider and rounded along the edge) or winder stairs (stairs with a triangular tread that help change the direction of the staircase). Measure these from the widest point of each area. You can easily cut away a surplus of carpet, but you’ll have a larger problem if you come up short.
Add the Landing Measurements
Add the total square footage of each landing to the total square footage of your stairs. The sum is the total carpeted area. When you’re calculating the amount of carpet to buy for stairs, order 10% more than you think you’ll need—just in case.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
For most homeowners, the cost to carpet stairs falls somewhere between $400 and $800—and this price includes professional measurements. You won’t save much money by measuring DIY because measuring isn’t typically the laborious part of carpet installation. In other words, you may want to hire a carpet installation company near you, especially if you:
Have a complicated set of stairs (like a spiral staircase)
Are planning a larger carpeting job
Would like to save time by leaving this job to a pro
Overall, the cost of carpet installation is similar to the cost of refinishing hardwood floors, but it can save you money if a hardwood floor replacement is too expensive. Expect to spend $1 to $7 per square foot on the carpet itself, depending on whether you choose cotton, nylon, or polyester.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re using a carpet runner instead of a traditional carpet, pay attention to your width measurements. Instead of measuring the total width of your staircase with 2 added inches for foldover, simply measure the width you’d like the runner to cover. Runners generally come in standard sizes, so you may need to approximate what would look best in your space.
It depends on whether you’re looking at residential or commercial buildings. For residential buildings, the 2018 International Residential Code asks for a maximum riser (or rise) height of 7 3/4 inches and a minimum tread depth (or run) of 10 inches.
For fixed stairs in commercial buildings, OSHA requires a rise between 6 and 7.5 inches, with a run between 10 and 14 inches. The standards are different for spiral staircases.
Carpeting has a few benefits on stairs in addition to being a cost-effective floor covering. It absorbs sound, dampening footsteps. It also provides additional traction, which is especially important if you install linoleum floors, epoxy flooring, or any other floor covering that can become slippery if you’re wearing socks. Therefore, carpets can help prevent slips.
Mariel is a writer from New York City who has a passion for helping renters and homeowners make their space unapologetically their own—and save a few bucks along the way.
Mariel is a writer from New York City who has a passion for helping renters and homeowners make their space unapologetically their own—and save a few bucks along the way.
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